30/52

Grace: Walks with a book. Brushes teeth with a book. Sleeps with a book. Eats with a book.
Tom: Can't hide from me baby.

On the blogging front I have been pretty slack (again!).. I have trying to cut down on the time I spend of social media, the first step, deleting Facebook from my iPhone so that I can't access it through the day, only at home. I must say it feels liberating, I am more 'in the moment'. So much so that I look around and notice everyone else on their smart phones and think how sad it looks!

This past month I have:

Visited open classrooms at school
Started personal training to make sure I fit into my dress in 4 months time
Cut out sugar from the diet
Begun our house plans (well I havent personally.. but our builder has!)

Joining in with Jodi and Poet throughout the year in the 52 Project x

28/52

Grace: Playing guessing games with me in the car to pass the time while we wait for Ian's soccer game to finish
Tom: We got up early on a cold wintery morning to watch the sunrise over Jervis Bay

This weeks images of Gracie and Tom are taken only 14 hours apart.. It started to rain as we were watching Ian play soccer so we took refuge in the car - I loved the way the raindrops glistened on the windscreen and their little shadows fell on her face. The next morning, the rain had gone, Tom asked if we could get up early and head to the beach to watch the sun rise over the bay. It was hard pulling myself out of a nice warm bed, but definitely worth it when those golden rays welcomed us into another day.

Joining in with Jodi and Poet with the 52 Project x

26/52

Tom: Cool as a cucumber

Gracie: My spotty giggler, infront of my dream cottage

Joining in with Jodi & Poet in the 52 Project x

24/52

Tom: I see the beginnings of a young man
Gracie: She suits the warm autumnal tones

23/52

Tom: seeing how fast he can spin the umbrella...
Gracie: Oh Petal.

A black and white diptych of images for a wintery week. Both images capture the essence of each child: Tom, with his boyish smile and playful nature, and Grace, with her deep soulful eyes, she is wise beyond her years.

I am very much missing them this week.

Joining in with Jodi and Poet in the 52 project x

22/52

Grace: she loves this weather - apparently it's 'perfect for reading, snuggling and playing schools'

Tom: learning to play, I think Grace was only telling him the rules when it suited her!

Last week I had a selection of images of Gracie and Tom but I simply didn't have the energy to even put a blog post together. We have been enjoying our last few weeks of autumn, outdoors and in the golden sunlight.  The woody smell of neighbours fire's fills the air at dusk and our afternoon walks have started to dissipate as the darkness sets in not long after 5pm.

Today is the first day of Winter, and what a way to show it's presence. Here is is raining, dark and cool, the mood in the house is sombre and slow. Old board games are pulled out and enjoyed.

Joining in with Jodi and the 52 Project. x

20/52

19/52

 Tom: Those freckles.

Gracie: Calling for her brother to come and run amongst the corn stalks

This week we have:

Celebrated a birthday

Had an early Mother's Day

Scored at soccer

Bought a wedding gown

Commenced renovation plans

Split a skirt

Bought a fish (welcome little Sushi!)

Joining in with Jodi - A portrait of my children once a week, every week in 2014.

18/52

Tom: This photo just feels so eerily nostalgic to me...

Grace: standing in the cold May wind, her hair still highlighted from the summer past

This week my thoughts have included:

* How am I ever going to finish this Leadership course? The content is airy-fairy, not the art and science like I am used to.

* Can't school work be done in school time? I want to afternoons to be free from deadlines, reading lists and handwriting

* Does my hips look big in this? Planning wedding dress appointments, sampling menu's and laying down deposits on trestle tables and bentwood chairs

* Why can't Autumn linger for a little while longer? The Winter wind got to my bones this weekend.. 

playing along with Jodi - a portrait of my children once a week, every week in 2014

17/52

Gracie: bringing in the washingTom: Down at the farm with his little shadow, Mollie
It has been a lonely week here without their little faces. We speak every night on the phone.. for this, I am grateful... but it doesn't fill the void like a big cuddle does.
Linking in with Jodi on the 52 Project x

16/52

Grace: She sits under the Weeping Mulberry, telling me stories and slapping away the mozzies
Tom: 'I want my picture.... here'...

Easter Long Weekend.. I plan for mine to be filled with a little chocolate indulgence and farm visits, leadership essays and a bit of an op-shop clean out.

A portrait of my children once a week, every week, in 2014.

Playing along with Jodi x

14/52

Tom: The best part of our engagement was the balloons. Aside from that, it was a 'boring adults party'
Gracie: I'm the Oh! in 'LOVE'.

This week we have been organising the biggest party of our relationship thus far. I had been stressing over what I would wear, what the kids would wear, my hair, makeup etcetera. and felt so overwhelmed, even though Ian's Mum had organised most of it. I kept thinking, 'how am I going to plan a wedding?!'. And then Saturday came. All our beautiful friends were there, and all that worried me though the week didn't even matter. I had such a good time, Ian was there, I was there, and Grace and Tom were having a blast. That's what counted the most.

Linking in with Jodi x

12/52

A portrait of my children once a week, every week, in 2014.

Tom: We planted an Australian White Cedar in the back corner of our yard. Tom found a little berry it produced and naturally I took a picture of it in his hands.. we then googled together if they were poisonous and low and behold... humans and dogs should not consume!

Grace: Waiting, waiting, waiting. 

This week has been just plain crazy. My house is a whirlwind of destruction. The end of term can't come soon enough. We are all tired and cranky. On the plus side this weather has been providing in relation to my hunters and gatherers.. beautiful fish, mud crabs and eastern rock lobsters have been making a regular appearance on the menu. Spoilt.

Playing along with Jodi.

11/52

Grace: She was leaning against the wall chatting to me while I was cooking dinner, I went and picked up the camera as I loved the way the light was falling on her sweet profile
Tom: Taken during a walk around the block, a ritual we have after school to wind down and get Mollie out of the house

This week has been a week of re-evaluation and reflection (fitting for this weeks image of Tom). Collaborating with the beautiful girls from Wholehearted has opened my mind to so many things - I have connected with them more than I ever thought I would. We have been sharing our own personal stories with each other, acknowledging our different challenges, thoughts and ideas on parenthood and life.

It has been healing for many.

Identifying strengths and weaknesses we have as individuals and our motherhood journey has resonated with so many of our readers. Differences we all have are our commonality.

Linking in with beautiful Jodi for Project 52 x

10/52

A portrait of my children once a week, every week, in 2014.

Grace: As beautiful as she is, the inner goof is always present
Tom: In the late afternoon sun, hanging off the back fence

This week saw the launch of a joint collaboration which I am totally thrilled to be a part of. Wholehearted - A Journal, is a space where women can come together and join forces and share stories about the rollercoaster ride that is parenthood. Come on over and have a look, you'll be pleasantly suprised to see it isn't all clean faces, tidy houses and good manners...

Linking in with Jodi x

life with jane

Jane and her trio, Jono, Duke & Errol. 

This woman is something of an inspiration. She has broad shoulders, a warm smile, firm beliefs and wears her heart on her sleeve. She digs her heels in when she wants to see something through, yet she lets her life lead her as it will. She is surrounded by three beautiful boys, all of them look at her with such love and adoration. Life with Jane is so sweet.

9/52

A portrait of my children once a week, every week, in 2014.

Tom: the amount of bribery to get him to do his homework is unreal.
Grace: It was warmer in the ocean.

Monochromatic images for week 9. I overlooked this image of Gracie initially but I picked it as it seems fitting for the last week of summer.

Linking in with Jodi x

8/52

A portrait of my children once a week, every week, in 2014.

Tom: The water child, having a 'surf' while Gracie and I watched on
Grace: Those soft peach lips with the devils peak, button nose and super long lashes.. her little characteristics haven't changed much since she came into this world

Oh how I love this time of year. The weather has cooled down, the smell of autumn is in the light breeze that comes by in the afternoon and the leaves are beginning to gently fall to the ground in warm hues of colour. The best.

Linking in with Jodi x

6/52

A portrait of my children once a week, every week, in 2014.

Tom: This week he received his new specs, his headaches have improved and reading is much easier now
Grace: An outtake from a 'set-up' shot, she looks much like my grandmother did as a little girl

This week challenges have been:

1. Getting back into school routine
2. Getting back into work routine (as much as shift work allows for 'routine')
3. Working out what extra curricular activities we will undertake this year - soccer is a given but hip-hop is on the cards
4. Gracie's cold - return to school means the germs go back as well
5. Tantrum central - Tom pushing the boundaries +++.

Linking in with Jodi x

5/52

A portrait of my children once a week, every week, in 2014.

Grace: Her messy waterfall braid illuminated as she watches the last of the light slip behind the mountains

Tom: We don't have a bath in our little house so this was a real treat

This is my last day of my 4 week break before I have to get up at 530am and fumble my way into my uniform in the dark tomorrow. I feel so refreshed. I needed the break from shift work and irregular hours. My body soon found a summer rhythm -  late rises, beach trips, coffee, visiting family, cooking, gardening and completing housework (sad I know). Having my life not bound by time constraints was such a relief.

This week was one I will always remember. "Will you marry me? You make me so happy"...looking down at Ian's face as he stared back at me with the most genuine smile (and glittery rock to boot!), I knew that this is the man who I was mean't to share all this world with.

Stoked.

Linking in with Jodi. xx